Electrical-switch device



R. VARLEY.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1920.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

H. VAR-LEY.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. 1920.

1 ,4=38,003 Patented Dec. 5 22.

2 SHEETS-SHE I INVENTOR.

i M m A TTORNEYJ,

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD VARLEY. OF ENGLEWOOD. NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO VARLEY DUPLEXMAGNET COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL-SWITCH DEVICE.

Application filed November 15,1920. Serial No. 424,257.

To all ce/zom if may concern:

Be it known that l. RICHARD Yamacv. a citizen ofthe lnited States.residing at Englewood. in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical SwitchDevices. of which the following is a full. clear. and exact description.

My invention relates to electrical switch devices and embodiments of myinvention are well adapted for rectifying current from low frequencygenerators, aml where it is desired to utilize only a portion of thewave above a minimum voltage. as for example in the charging systems ofautomobiles and the like.

One object of my invention is the reduc pear from the followingdescription.

In accordance with my invention I employ a rotative cylindrical switchelement having four equally spaced insulated seg ments which areelectrically connected in pairs, one connection being through acentrifugally controlled contact, and this element is wiped by fourequally spaced brushes. two opposing brushes being connectedto thearmature windings and the intermediate brushes being connected to theconsumption circuit. The cylindrical memher is connected to be driven insynchronism with the armature. and may and preferably will be composedof the usual com mutator bars, the four segments being formed byelectrically connecting the desired number of bars at the four points.

The shell or brush for the commutator bars will preferably be hollow orcupshaped to'accommodate the centrifugal contact-operating parts, andthe drive shaft can fit within an axial sleeve to which it is rotativelyconnected by means of a transverse pin which slips into a slot in theend of the shaft, thereby permitting the device to be easily applied toor removed from the shaft. The open end may be closed by a glass coverplate which facilitates inspection of the operating parts.

The brushes will preferably be carried in an annular brush holder ofinsulating material which is carried by the bearing for the shaft and isangularly adjustable therei Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section ofthe same;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the rotative switch element;

Fig. 4c is a diagrammatic representation of a modified embodiment, and

Fig. 5 isa similar representation of another modification.

The illustrated device consists generally of a rotative cylindricalswitch member and a brush holder surrounding the cylindrical member. Thecylindrical member is preferably composed of a segmental commutatormember 1 of usual construction, having in the form shown twenty-fourinsulated segment bars of copper or other good conducting material and acup-shaped bush or shell 2 preferably of iron or steel which is soattached to the segment boss as to retain them against centrifugalforce.

The preferred mode of attaching the segment bars to the shell 2 isillustrated in Fig. 2. One of the members, which in the form shown, isthe segment bar, is provided with a dove-tail or undercut tongue orprojection while the other member is provided with a complementarygroove, which, however, is of sufiicient Width to receive the tongue orprojection by a radial movement. The cylindrical segmental member 1 isformed by assembling the bars side by side with suitable insulationinterposed between them and With'their projections extending partiallywithin the groove on the outer periphery of the shell. Interposedbetween the faces of the bar and shell is a suitable insulatingcomposition, such as bakelite or micanite which is plastic at the timeof the assembly of the members, but which hardens and ets and serves asa key to lock the tongue and grooved members together. I

Four equally spaced segments or groups of segments are employed ascontact segmental portions of the cylindrical switch member. In theconstruction shown each of the four groups is shown as consisting ofthree segment bars, but it is manifest that the number of bars joinedtogether in each group will be determined by the portion of the wave ofthe generated current which it is desired to collect and transmit to theconsuming circuit. For identification the four groups are numbered 3, 3,4 and 4 Since there are 24 segment bars in the cylindrical member 1,each bar is 15 in length and therefore each group is 45 in length.

In the illustrated construction the three bars of each group areelectrically joined by means of a conductive strip which is secured, asby screws, upon one end of the cylindrical member. Groups 4 and 4" areelectrically joined by the conductive strip 5 secured upon the bottom ofthe cylindrical member and having two enlargements at the ends joined bya narrow neck portion. One of the enlargements is suiiiciently wide toconnect the three bars of group 4 while the other is only of sufiicientwidth to con meet the two leading bars of group 4, the third or trailingbar of this group beingconnected to the conductor 5 through a suitableresistance 6 which serves to absorb the spark at the instant that thecircuit is broken, since this trailing bar of the group 4 is always inthe circuit at the conclusion of each switching operation.

' The bars of groups 3 and 3 are electrically joined by arcuate strips 7and 8 which are attached to the bars at the outer or open end of thecylindrical member and which are adapted to be electrically coupledthrough the centrifugally controlled contact. Secured upon the bottom ofthe cup member 2 and suitably insulated therefrom are two contacts 9 and10,.the former of which is fixed and the latter of which is carried by afiat spring 11. When unrestrained spring 11 will move the contact 10into engagement with the contact 9. The contact 9 is connected to thestrip 7 through an arm 12 on the strip 7 which extends down into the cupmember 2, and the contact 10 and spring 11 are electrically connected tothe strip'8 through a similar arm 13 of the strip 8.

When the switch is used for certain purposes, as for example in batterycharging system of automobiles, it is desirable that the circuit be keptopen until a certain minimum speed is attained. To accomplish this acentrifuge 14 is employed which is pivoted upon the bottom of the cup 2and has a fiber operating member 15 on its free end which is arranged tobear against the free end of the spring 11. Spring 16 engages thecentrifuge 14 and tends to hold the centrifuge in such a position thatthe operating member 14 restrains contact 111 to open position, as shownin Fig. 1. The tension of the spring 16 is adjusted to permit thecentrifuge 14 to fly out at a predeof the switch member and also extendsinwardly sufficiently far to accommodate the bearings. This sleeve is ofproper size t fit snugly over the shaft 17 and is provide! near itsouter end with a transverse pin 19, the end of the shaft 17 beingprovided with a slot 20 for the reception of this pin. It is thusmanifest that the switch member may be applied to the shaft by merelydropping the pin 19 in the slot 20, and may be as easily removedtherefrom as a unit.

In the system shown four equally spaced brushes 21, 21 22, 22 wipe thesurface of the segmental cylindrical member 1. These. are shown ascarried within a cylindrical brush holding member 23 which is composedof suitable insulating material, such as bakelite, and which closelysurrounds the cylindrical .switch member. This brush holder 23 issecured upon the top of the plate 24 having a hub portion 24 which formsthe bearing for the shaft 17 and the sleeve 18, suitable anti-frictionbearings being shown at this point. The hub 24 is shown as securedwithin a suitable cylins drical flange 25 on a fixed base plate 26. Inorder to permit an angular adjustment of the brush holder upon the plate25 it is shown as provided with arcuate slots into which the fasteningscrews 27 engage. In order to enclose the operating parts while at thesame time permitting inspection of them the glass cover plate 28 may beemployed which is retained in a slot in the outer end of the brushholder 23.

In the electrical system shown in Fig. 1, a suitable alternator A isemployed for charging a storage battery B. The switch member will beoperated in synohronism with the generator and for this purpose may beconveniently mounted upon the armature shaft, the switch serving toreverse the polarity of the connection between the generator and thebattery for each alternation of the current and to maintain this connection for a period determined by the length of the segmental contactportions of the switch member. The" brushes 21 and 21 are connected tothe armature terminals of the alternator and the brushes 22 and 22" areconnected to the opposite terminals of the battery. The. circuit may,therefore, durin one alternation, be traced from the rightand brush ofthe generator through wire 29, brush 21, se ent 4, conductor 5,

segment 4 brush 22, wire 30, battery B" to ground, and thence .throughwire 31 to brush 22, to segment 3 and thence through the centrifugallycontrolled contacts to segment 3 and thence through brush 21 and ments4, brush 22', wire 30, and battery B to ground, thence through wire 31,brush 22, segment 3 and the centrifugally controlled contacts to segment3, and thence through brush 21 and wire 29 back to the generator. Thefield F of the generator is energized from the battery through the wire33 in which a switch 34 may be provided, the other terminal of the fieldbeing grounded.

In the modifications of Figs. 4 and 5 are shown constructions forpreventing overcharge of the battery at excessive speeds, means beingprovided to modify the current conducting capacity of the chargingcircuit when such speed is attained. In the construction of Fig. 4 thecurrent conducting capacity is decreased by opening the circuit. Themovable contact of the centrifugally controlled pair of contacts iscarried by a pivoted lever 35 which is normally moved to contact closingpositioniunder the influence of the flat spring 36. The operating fibrepiece 15 on the centrifuge 14 is arranged under the influence of acoiled spring 37 to bear against the outer end of the lever 35 androtate it against the tension of the spring 36 to open contactposition,as shown in Fig. 4. When the minimum engine speed is attained thecentrifuge 14 will fly out against the tension of the spring 37 andpermit the spring 36 to close the contacts. This movement of thecentrifuge will bring the fiat spring 38 on the centrifuge against astop39 and further outward movement of the centrifuge is restrainedbythis spring 38 until the centrifugal force becomes sufiicient toovercome the tension of this spring 38. This occurs at a predeterminedmaximum engine speed and such further outward movement of the centrifuge14 causes a projection 14 on the centrifuge to strike against the end ofan arcuate pivoted lever 40 which is normally restrained by a coiledspring 41, and thereby cause the lever 40 to rotate againshthe tensionof the spring 41.- Such rotation of the lever 40-causes the opposite endof this lever to engage underneath the lever 35 and open the contactsagainst the tension of spring 36.

The same result in effect is accomplished by the modification shown inFig. 5. In this construction the charging circuit is not entirely openedbut the current is cut down by the insertion of an electrical resistancewhen the excessive speed is attained. In this construction the spring 37tends to hold the centrifuge 14 in position to open the contacts 9 and10 and its first outward movement permits these contacts to close andbrings the spring 38 against the stop 39. The connection between thecontact 10 and the segment 3 has two parallel paths, one of which pathsincludes the contacts 42, one being movable and carried by the fiatspring 43, and the other of which paths includes a resistance 44. Theflat spring 43 will normally hold the contacts 42 closed but as thecentrifugal force at excessive speed overcomes the tension of the flatspring 38 the further rotation of the centrifuge 14 causes a projectingtip to strike the end of the flat spring 43 and open the contacts 42,thereby compelling the current to pass through the resistance 44. I

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in theconstructions shown in the drawings and above particularly describedwithin the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim 1. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical memberhaving two electrically continuous segmental portions, occu pying spacedcircumferential portions of the cylindrical member and means including ace'ntrifugally controlled contact for electrically connecting the twosegmental portions.

2. An electrical switch device comprising a plurality of'insulatedsegment bars cylindrically arranged, means electrically connecting thebars contained within two circumferential portions to form tworelatively wide segments, and means including a centrifugally controlledcontact for electrically connecting the two wide segments.

3. An electrical switch device comprising a plurality of insulatedsegment bars cylindrically arranged, means electrically connecting thebars contained within two circumferential portions to form two relatively Wide segments, means for electrically connecting the two widesegments, and means including a resistance for electrically connectingone of the wide segments to an insulated bar next adjacent to the otherwide segment.

4. An electrical switch device comprising a plurality of insulatedsegment bars cylindrically arranged, means electrically connecting thebars contained within four substantially equally spaced circumferentialportions to form four relatively wide segments,

means electrically connecting two adjacent wide segments, meansincluding a centrifugally controlled contact for electrically connectingthe other two wide segments, a brush holder surrounding the commutator,and four substantially equally spaced brushes carried by the brushholder and wiping the cylindrical surface.

6. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical member havingtwo conductive segmental portions, a cup-like shell disposed Within andserving as a holder for the cylindrical member, a pair of relativelymovable co-operative contacts within the shell having a biased position,a centrifugal switch within the shell operative to close the contactsunder the influence of centrifugal force, and a conductor connectingeach contact with one of the segmental portions.

7.. An electrical switch device comprising a plurality of insulatedsegment bars cylindrically arranged, two spaced conductive stripssecured upon one end of the cylindrical members and serving toconductively connect the bars covered thereby to form two spacedrelatively wide segmental portions, a cup-like shell disposed within andserving as a holder for thecylindrical member, a pair of relativelymovable co-oper'ative contacts within the shell having a biasedposition, a centrifugal switch within the shell operative to close thecontacts under the influence of centrifugal force, and a conductorconnecting each contact with one of th conductive strips.

8. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical member havingtwo pairs of electrically connected conductive portions, a driving shaftaxially secured to the cylindrical member, a bearing for the shaft, acylindrical brush holder surrounding the cylindrical member and carriedby the bearing and angularly adjustable thereon, and four brushescarried by the brush holder having the same angular spacing as theconductive portions and arranged to wipe the surface of the cylindricalmember.

9. An electrical .switch device comprising a plurality of insulatedsegment bars cylindrically arranged, a cup-like shell disposed withinsaid cylinder and serving as a holder for the bars, a pair of relativelymovable co-operative contacts within the shell having a bias to closedposition, a centrifugal switch within the shell having a bias to aposition to hold the contacts open and movable from said position underthe influence of centrifugal force, a pair of conductive stripsspacedsubstantially 90 apart and coveredthereby, and a conductor connectingeach of the pair of contacts with one of the strips of the lastmentioned pair.

10. An electricalswitch device comprising a plurality of insulatedsegment bars cylindrically arranged, a cup-like shell disposed withinsaid cylinder and serving as a holder for the bars, a pair of relativelymovable co-operative contacts within the shell having a bias to closedposition, a centrifugal switch within the shell having a bias to aposition to hold the contacts open and movable from said position underthe influence of centrifugal force, a pair of conductive strips spacedsubstantially 90 apart and secured upon one end of the said cylinder andserving to conductively connect the bars covered thereby, an electricalconductor connecting said strips, a second pair of conductive stripsspaced substantially 90 apart and from the first mentioned strips andsecured upon the open end of said cylinder and serving to conductivelyconnect the bars covered thereby, a conductor connecting each of thepair of contacts with one of the strips of the last mentioned pair, adriving shaft axially secured to the shell, a bearing for the shaft, acylindricalbrush holder surrounding the said cylinder and carried by thebearing and angularly adjustable there'- on, and four substantiallyequally spaced brushes carried by the brush holder and ar ranged to wipethe surfaceof said cylinder.

11-. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical member havingtwoconductive segmental portions, conductor means arranged toelectrically connect the segmental portions, and means responsive to thespeed of rotation of the cylindrical member and arranged in control ofthe conductor means and operative to effect the electrical connectionwhen a predetermined minimum speed is attained and to modify the currentconducting capacity of said connection when a predetermined maximumspeed is attained.

12. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical member havingtwo conductive segmental portions, conductor means arranged toselectively include a resistance electrical connection and exclude theresist-.

ance when a predetermined minimum speed is attained and to include theresistance when a predetermined maximum speed is attained. v

13. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical member havingtwo conductive segmental portions, a pair of relatively movable contactscarried by the memher and having electrical connection one with the onesegmental portion and the other with the other, a resistance arranged tobe included in one of said connections, and a centrifuge arranged incontrol of the con-tactsand of the resistance and operative to close thecontacts when a predetermined minimum speed has been attained and toinclude the resistance when a predetermined maximum speed has beenattained.

14. An electrical switch device comprising a cylindrical member havingsegmental contact portions, an internal shell for the cylindrical memberhaving an axial sleeve provided near its outer end with-a radial lockingelement and a drive shaft adapted RICHARD VARLE-Y.

